Rapid Fat Loss Diets

Monday, January 12, 2009

The Increasing Craze toward Vitamins and Herbal Supplements

By Amber Duncan

Many people are turning to natural remedies and using herbal supplements and vitamins to maintain and improve health. One can find products for help in losing weight, preventing signs of aging, or just to improve general health. No matter what your health issues are, there is sure to be a product with the perfect sales pitch so that you want to buy it right away.

There have been many studies done on the beneficial effects of herbal supplements and herbal extracts. The results have shown that many herbal supplements can be beneficial in promoting general health as well as treating certain medical conditions.

There is an overwhelming amount of information available today, in magazines, on TV and the on the internet, about hundreds of different herbs and what they can do for you. Some do very little, while others are much stronger and can have the potential to interact adversely with medications you may be currently taking. Don't be fooled into thinking that all herbal supplements are safe, just because they're natural.

Like natural, herbal supplements, many medications and even illegal street drugs are derived from nature. Tobacco comes from a plant, but that does not mean that cigarettes are a natural, healthy product. Illegal street drugs are made from the beautiful poppy flower.

One problem we have encountered with nutritional supplements is that they are not strictly regulated in the US. The manufacturers do not have to guarantee their safety, effectiveness or even the true content of the products. Some dietary supplements may not contain the herbs that they claim to.

Herbal supplements can be very costly, especially if you are constantly adding more and more of them to your daily regimen. Perhaps you started out with the well know ginseng to increase energy, ginkgo biloba to improve focus and memory and vitamin C for your immune system. As you continue to discover the benefits of the many herbal supplements available, you might find yourself taking 15 -20, or more, per day and spending a fortune to maintain this craze. You might be doing more harm than good; some of these supplements could be working against each other, cancelling out the benefits or causing new problems. Some of these products might be totally ineffective.

A specialized multi-purpose supplement that is proportionately formulated would be a great solution. A well-balanced multi-purpose formula will provide the benefits you need while saving a great deal of money. There are many different supplemental programs available to meet different individual needs.

You should do plenty of research before beginning a supplemental health program. Look at the different companies out there; how long have they been in business? Have there been any bad reports with the Better Business Bureau or other consumer groups? Talk to other people who are currently taking herbal supplements; see what they are taking and who they are purchasing them from. Talk to your doctor or health care specialist; it is possible they will be able to refer you to a good source for buying herbal supplements. You might be surprised to find that many medical doctors are more open to the use of herbal supplements today than in the past.

It is important to remember that no matter what type of health improvement you are looking to achieve with supplements, you must continue to live a healthy lifestyle. Remember, the herbs are just a supplement. Herbal supplements that claim to help you resist cancer will not be effective if you are smoking 2-3 packs of cigarettes a day. A weight management formula will be most ineffective if you eat high-fat food and snack in front of the TV every night. A muscle building shake is not going to work if you do not work out.

Herbal supplements and natural remedies are a great step toward good health and well-being. If you are considering adding herbal supplements to your healthy lifestyle, consult with your physician to be sure you are not doing yourself more harm than good. - 17273

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